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Board commemorates Port Chicago disaster, urges exoneration of sailors convicted after 1944 blast
Summary
The Board adopted a resolution commemorating the 71st anniversary of the Port Chicago disaster and called on the president and Congress to exonerate 50 African American sailors convicted of mutiny after the 1944 explosions. The resolution passed unanimously.
The Board of Supervisors on July 14 unanimously adopted a resolution commemorating the Port Chicago disaster and urging federal action to exonerate the 50 sailors convicted in its aftermath.
Supervisor Malia Cohen led recognition of the Port Chicago survivors, the Friends of Port Chicago and the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Commission, and introduced speakers including Reverend Diana McDaniel of the Friends of Port Chicago and Spencer Sykes, the son of a survivor. Reverend McDaniel described the group’s work to preserve memory, build a visitor center and press for exoneration of the men convicted after refusing to resume loading munitions following the explosions.
Reverend McDaniel said the 1944 explosions at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine killed hundreds and that many African American sailors later convicted for refusing to return to the dangerous work were not pardoned or exonerated. She and commissioners present asked the board to support a formal resolution and a letter urging exoneration and designation of honorable discharge for the convicted sailors.
Supervisor Cohen asked colleagues to support the resolution. The board took the item without objection and adopted the measure unanimously.
